Machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves.



' PATENTEDJAN. 13, 1903.

W.'HUNT. MACHINE FOR SIZINGORASSORIING TOBACCO LEAVES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3, 1902.

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WITNESSES CCCCCCC CCCCCCCC GGCCCCC ATTIJRN BY.

bwzymdg 7M PHOTO-L|THO.. WASHNGTON, u. I;

Nrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HUNT, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR SIZING OR ASSORTING TOBACCO-LEAVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,352, dated January 13, 1903. Application filed November 3, 1902. $eria1N0- 129,840. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sizing or Assorting Tobacco-Leaves and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in machin es for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves after they are dried and preparatory for shipment. In the shipment of tobacco to the manufacturers it is essential that the leaves of ditferentlengths be assorted-thatis to say, the leaves of one lengthfor example, those of thirty-six inchesshall be separated from the leaves of a greater or less longth,-so that the tobacco when shipped Will be assorted in bunches or parcels, each of which contains loaves of uniform lengths.

Preceding a detail description of myinvention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of myimproved tobacco sizing or assorting machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 2. Fig. t is atransvorse section through the machine. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail of the measuring device adjacent to one end of the machine. Fig. 6 is an enlarged top plan View of a portion of the measuring or sizing device. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view of the measuring device.

In a detail description of the invention similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The frame of the machine is indicated by l and consists of a series of horizontal and upright beams, which are suitably united to produce asubstantialframowork. The tobaccoleaves in their dried state are fed onto an end less conveyor, which travels around two rotating drums 1 1, the journals 23 of which are suitably mounted in bearings on the ends of the framework. One of tho'journal-bearings 23* is adjustable in order to maintain a proper tension on the conveyor by means of of pocket or channeled bars-3, which are united or made secure to a series of endless belts 2 as shown in Fig. 4. The bars 3 are all uniformly constructed and contain longitudinal pockets 3, (see Fig. 6,) which are inclosed on each side by upright walls 6 and have downwardly-tapering bottoms 7, which terminate at lower points 4. These pockets or channels extend from end to end of each of the bars, and the centers 4: are the lowest points of said pockets. This form of construction is preferable for the reason that when the tobacco-leaves are placed in said pockets they will lie in the center of the pockets. The said bars 3 have no connection with each other. Their only connection is with the belts 2 It therefore will be understood that the conveyer has a flexible nature, which is essential in order for it to pass around the drum 1.

While I have thus described specifically the form of the pockets 3 it will be borne in mind that this form might be varied; but in practice I have found it desirable to construct each of said pockets with a downwardly-inclining bottom 7, which terminates at the lower points 4. The speed at which this endless conveyor is driven is comparatively slowthat is to say, it is essential that the said conveyor should travel approximately fifteen feet per minute, or thereabout. Operatod by this endless conveyor is a measuring dovicowhich measures each tobacco-loaf contained inthe pockets 3?. This measuring device is mounted above the conveyor in an oblique or diagonal plane to the plane of the conveyor, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of'the drawings. The said measuring device is operated by the conveyor and consists of a series of blocks 8, which are secured to an endless belt 9, passing over pulleys 1O 10, mounted on standards 12 at the opposite sides and ends of the frame.

The belt 9 is supported on a suitable flanged track 13 above and below, and the said tracks 13 are maintained in proper position bya suitable number of arms or brackets 14, which are secured to one side of the frame and project over a suitable distance to provide the proper support therefor.

It will be observed from Fig. 5 that the blocks 8 have a male or matching surface which corresponds to and fits in the pockets of the bars 3. The blocks 8 are given their movement by the conveyer, and such movement corresponds with the movement of the conveyer. The feeding end of the machine is that end indicated in Fig. 1 by the letter A. This end is also shown in Fig. 5, and the engagement between the conveyer-bars 3 and the blocks 8 is similar to the engagement of two spur-wheels-that is to say, as the blocks 8 come into positions to enter the pockets 3 the belt 9, together with the entire series of blocks 8, is rotated by the conveyer. Fig. 5 illustrates this engagement, where it will be seen that the blocks 8 as they are carried around the pulley 10 on that end of the machine are gradually brought into the pockets in the bars 3. The belt 9 is held down at both ends of the machine by pressure-rollers 11, which are journaled in arms 12, that are secured to upright standards 12 at each end.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that the point of engagement between the pocket-bars 3 and the blocks 8 begins on one extreme side of the machine and continues diagonally across the machine from end to end. The side walls 6 adjacent to the ends of the bars 3 are tapered on one side, as at 5, in order that the blocks 8 may enter the pockets, the inclined surfaces of said blocks coming in contact with the tapering surfaces 5 of the bars, similar to the meshing of the teeth of two gear-wheels. It will be seen as the conveyer rot-ates the blocks 8 will be caused to move in and across the pockets 3 in the bars 3, and will thus engage the buttends of the tobacco-leaves a in said pockets. The result will be that the blocks so engaging with the tobacco-leaves will cause said leaves to be moved out until their ends engage with rollers 20. These rollers are caused to rotate at a rapid speed relatively to the movement of the conveyer and will quickly remove the tobacco-leaves out of the conveyer-pockets 3 into the bins 19. The rollers 20 are driven in any suitable manner by pulley 22 on one of the journals 22 of said rollers, and from such journal power is conveyed to the journal of the other roller through belt-pulleys 22".

Looking at Fig. 1, it will be noted that there is a series of tobacco-leaves a of different lengths lying within some of the pockets 3 of the conveyor. The shortest ones of these tobacco-leaves will not be engaged by the rollers 20 until the conveyer carries them to a proper position to be moved by the measuring device to the rollers 20. The space or distance between the measuring device and the rollers 20 is gradually shortened as the measuring device and conveyer travel forward from the feeding end A of the machine. The machine as shown is adapted to measure or assort tobacco-leaves varying in lengths from five to thirty-six inches. A tobaccoleaf of thirty-six inches will be acted upon by the measuring device at a point where the space between the measuring-blocks 8 and the rollers 20 is the greatest-namely, at the feeding end A of the machine. A tobaccoleaf of the shortest length namely, five incheswould not be acted upon by the measuring device 8 until it had been carried entirely over the machine, where the space between said measuring device and the rollers 20 is the shortest. The conveyer, as before stated, consisting of the belts 2 and the transverse pocket-bars 3, is prevented from sagging at the bottom by supporting-belt 16, which passes over a suitable number of idlers 17.

It will be comprehended from Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings that in the rotation of the conveyer the measuring device, consisting, as before stated, of the blocks 8 and belt 9, will be given a rotary movement and that each of said blocks will move the entire length of each respective pocket 3 in traveling from end to end of the machine. Therefore it is obvious that the tobacco-leaves of different lengths will all be acted upon by" the blocks 8, and thereby be moved to the rollers 20.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer having a series of separated parallel pockets, and a measuring device moving over said conveyor and in said pockets in an oblique plane to the plane of the conveyer.

2. In a machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer having a series of separated parallel pockets, and a measuring device arranged and traveling in an oblique line to the position of the conveyer and actuated by said conveyer, said measuring device moving in the pockets of the conveyer in a diagonal line from end to end of the machine.

3. In a machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer consisting of a series of separated parallel pockets, and a measuring device arranged in an oblique line above said conveyer and extending from end to endof the machine, said measuring device comprising a series of traveling blocks, each of which is adapted to enter a pocket in the conveyer and to move in said pockets ap proximately the lengths thereof in traveling from one end of the machine to the other.

4:- In a machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer consisting of a series of separated parallel pockets, and a measuring device actuated by said conveyor, said measuring device consisting of an end less series of blocks traveling in an oblique IIO line to the travel of the conveyer, each of said blocks engaging in a respective pocket in said conveyer and moving approximately the length of said respective pocket and the length of the machine.

5. In a machine for sizing or assorting to bacco-leaves, an endless rotating conveyer consisting of a series of parallel disconnected pockets, and a measuring device arranged IO above said conveyer and extending from op- Y posite diagonal corners of the machine, the

same consisting of an endless series of traveling blocks, which, when in their lower plane of rotation, lie within the pockets of the conveyer and are caused by said conveyer to move diagonally from end to end of the machine and approximately the lengths of said pockets.

6. In a machine for sizing or assorting tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer consisting of an endless series of parallel pockets,a measuring device extending diagonally from opposite sides of said conveyer so that the travel of said measuring devices will be in a plane 2 5 obliquely/r0 that of the conveyer and whereby the tobacco-leaves contained in said pockets will be moved lengthwise therefrom during the rotating of the conveyer and the measuring devices, and rollers to withdraw the tobacco-leaves from said pockets when the measuring device measures said tobaccoleaves and moves them to positions to be caught by the rollers.

7. In a machine for measuring or assorting 5 tobacco-leaves, a rotating conveyer consisting of a series of parallel pockets, a measuring device driven by said conveyer and consisting of a series of traveling blocks arranged above said conveyer in a position obliquely to the plane of said conveyer, said blocks entering the pockets of the conveyer and moving in said pockets approximately the lengths thereof in the rotation of the conveyer, and rollers adjacent to the delivery ends of said 5 pockets to withdraw the tobacco-leaves from the pockets as said leaves are moved lengthwise orat right angles to said rollers.

8. In a machine for measuring or assorting tobacco-leaves, an endless rotating conveyer consisting of a series of parallel pockets, an endless chain of blocks, the exposed surfaces of which conform in shape to the cross-section of said pockets, said blocks gearing with the pockets of the conveyer when in their lower plane of travel and adapted to travel approxi- 5 5 mately the lengths of said pockets, means for maintaining said endless chain of blocks in engagement with the pockets of the conveyer adjacent to the ends of said conveyer, and means for removing the tobacco-leaves endwise from said pockets when the blocks within said pockets have engaged the butt-ends of said tobacco-leaves to move the same endwise in said pockets.

9. In a machine for measuringorassorting tobacco-leaves, an endless rotating conveyer consisting of a series of parallel pockets the bottoms of which taper down'wardly to the center, an endless series of blocks arranged above said conveyer and rotated by said conveyer in an oblique plane throughout the length of the machine, theexposed surfaces of said blocks conforming to the cross-section of the conveyer-pockets, tracks upon which said endless series of blocks are supported, means located at the opposite oblique corners of them achine for maintaining the endless series of blocks in a proper position relative to the conveyer,and rollers arranged on one side of the conveyer and adapted to remove the tobacco-leaves from the pockets when the blocks in said pockets are caused by the r0; tation of the conveyer to move said tobaccoleaves to positions to be caught by said rollers.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM HUNT.

Witnesses:

R. J. MOCARTY, I CAROLYN M. THEOBALD. 

